For the love of Chai!

Sunday.  Booooo Sunday.  Sadly, I have to work every Sunday, and so what could have been a glorious day cooped up indoors cooking to my heart's content (because that's all I want to do now that I have my fabulous masala dabba) had me scouring the internet this morning for something - anything - that I could make fast this morning before I left, just to feed my addiction.

And it hit me! I don't know why it never occurred to me before - the simplest and most obvious of all things I could do with my Sunday morning - MAKE CHAI!  So, my morning went like this: 

Get up, and search internet.
Wake up husband to watch child. 
Get dressed and run to store for a few things I still needed.
Come home, and spend the last 1.5 hours in the kitchen loving the idea of iced chai going with me to work.

So you ask, how did it turn out? 
To say the least...I'm in love!  I not only had enough for 3, yes THREE glasses of what Starbucks calls a Chai Latte, but I have enough for tomorrow too! (Oh, and P.S.  it was 1000 times better than anything I could ever get from Starbucks, not to mention cheaper). Plus, it was more simple than I ever imagined it would be.  I could totally manage replacing my coffee addiction with this re-acquainted love. 
The downside however, is that it is yummiest when made with whole milk, which means that if I plan on drinking this daily, I really have to kick this whole idea of running 3 times a week into high gear, buy pants 2 sizes bigger than what I'm in, or be satisfied with mediocore chai and 1% milk.  Decisions, decisions....

On a side note...I think I want to name my masala dabba....I'm open to suggestions.

Recipe:
1 tbsp fennel seed
6 green cardamom pods OR approx 12 dried cardamom seeds for each required pod
12 cloves
1/4 tsp whole black peppercorn
1 cinnamon stick
1/4" ginger root, sliced thin
2 bay leaves
7 cups water

1. Add all ingredients. Boil for 5 minutes, then steep for 10 minutes.
2. Add 4 bags (or 2 tbsp loose) black tea or your choice***. 
    Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Strain, and keep in pitcher.  Pour over ice, and add milk/sugar to taste.  (I use about a 50/50 ratio). 

*** I used Tazo Awake tea, because it's always been one of my favorites.